Latest positions in Magny-Cours:

1.

2. Bourdias (Toro Rosso)

LATEST ACTION (all times BST)

To get involved, text us on 81111 (UK users only) or contribute to 606 Join the debate on 606 By Sarah Holt

1303: Bourdais clocks 1:17.101 to get qualifying up and running.

1302: Giancarlo Fisichella and Sebastian Vettle poke their front ends out next as we wait for the first time to be set in Magny-Cours Raikkonen bemoans Hamilton crash ...
Live - Monaco GP qualifying ...
EU Condemns Lebanese Violence in Beirut ...
Raikkonen wins Spanish Grand Prix ...
Del Toro to direct Hobbit movies ... - as soon as that happens I'll let you know.

1300: The twenty minutes on the clock for the first session have begun ticking down and first out is Toro Rosso's Sebastian Bourdais. He's on the hard tyres.

1258: The last of the drivers settle into their cars as the teams make their final preparations accompanied by the sounds of wheel-nuts being fixed and tightened.

1256: Thunderstorms had been predicted in France this weekend but conditions are fine and sunny so far with temperatures up at a very pleasant 27C.

1251: "Hamilton will go on the offensive strategy, as he has nothing to lose so perhaps the mythical 4 stopper may come into play... Who knows...? In reallity, this is an ideal opportunity for Kovalainen to step up to the mark and get amongst the Ferraris so it should be interesting."
SportsAddict2000 on 606

1245: Hamilton says his goal for this weekend is to get in the points, though he concedes it will be "very tough," especially as the Circuit de Nevers doesn't provide that many overtaking opportunities. The McLaren driver is going to have to go all out for pole - just to start 11th on the grid.

1240: "Well Renault must feel quite satisfied so far at their home GP - they must feel reasonably confident now that they can get both their cars into Q3."
Karlito1987 on 606

1230: Welcome to the longest day of the year where strange things can happen on the summer solstice - just look at Renault's performance in Magny-Cours, for example.

Fernando Alonso ruled Friday's second practice and team-mate Nelson Piquet followed suit by setting the pace in final practice.

Renault look like they have made some developments after last week's testing in Barcelona but lighter fuel loads are likely to have played a part too.

Ferrari duo Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa are favourites to lock out the front row with championship leader, BMW Sauber's Robert Kubica, also in contention.

Lewis Hamilton will be doing his best to clock the fastest time at the Circuit de Nevers but pole is out of the question.

The McLaren driver incurred a 10-place grid penalty when he ran into the back of Raikkonen in the pit lane in Montreal.

Nico Rosberg, who ploughed into Hamilton's McLaren in the same incident, will also drop 10 places.

The question is will there be any surprises in Magny-Cours?

Join the debate on 606

Final practice times for the French Grand Prix:

1. Nelson Piquet (Brazil) Renault 1:15.750
2. Mark Webber (Australia) RedBull - Renault 1:15.759
3. Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Toro Rosso - Ferrari 1:15.827
4. Nico Rosberg (Germany) Williams - Toyota 1:15.974
5. Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Ferrari 1:16.003
6. Jarno Trulli (Italy) Toyota 1:16.147
7. Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren 1:16.182
8. Sebastien Bourdais (France) Toro Rosso - Ferrari 1:16.235
9. Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari 1:16.256
10. David Coulthard (Britain) RedBull - Renault 1:16.282
11. Timo Glock (Germany) Toyota 1:16.344
12. Fernando Alonso (Spain) Renault 1:16.437
13. Heikki Kovalainen (Finland) McLaren 1:16.545
14. Robert Kubica (Poland) BMW Sauber 1:16.617
15. Kazuki Nakajima (Japan) Williams - Toyota 1:16.644
16. Jenson Button (Britain) Honda 1:16.651
17. Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Honda 1:16.658
18. Nick Heidfeld (Germany) BMW Sauber 1:16.687
19. Giancarlo Fisichella (Italy) Force India - Ferrari 1:17.365
20. Adrian Sutil (Germany) Force India - Ferrari 1:17.612


(BBC)

<< Back